Bell B-206 accident near Gustavus, Alaska, August 31, 1994
On August 31, 1994 at about 5:30 am local time, a Bell B-206 (helicopter), registered N382EH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gustavus, Alaska. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS DISTANCE/ALTITUDE FROM THE LANDING AREA, AND HIS LACK OF RECENT NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT HE WOULD BE LANDING WITH SUFFICIENT LIGHT, AND THE DUSK/DARK LIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1994 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Gustavus, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell B-206
- Registration
- N382EH · registry record · serial 1635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON THE BEACH AT DUSK, AND IT WAS DARKER THAN HE HAD EXPECTED. THE AREA WAS COVERED BY A SHADOW FROM A MOUNTAIN. HE ABORTED HIS FIRST APPROACH AFTER REALIZING HIS RATE OF DESCENT AND APPROACH SPEED WERE TOO FAST. HE STATED THAT THE SECOND APPROACH APPEARED NORMAL, AND AT THE LAST MOMENT SAW THE RIPPLES ON THE WATER, TRIED TO PULL UP, BUT THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE WATER, NOSED OVER, AND FLOATED UPSIDE DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS EYES DID NOT HAVE TIME TO ADJUST TO THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIGHTING CONDITIONS HE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE APPROACH. HE REPORTED A TOTAL NIGHT FLIGHT TIME OF 267 HRS, WITH 0.4 HRS WITHIN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,904 hours in all; 1,689 in this make and model; 261 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 6,700 as pilot in command; 460 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,910 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 5, 1994; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Reid Beach AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.